Now viewers are paying it forward. With one family giving $20, 000, enough cash to feed kids in need for the rest of the school year.

Virginia Beach, Va. – Every weekend, hundreds of Beach students would go hungry, if not for the “Beach Bags” program, which gives them food while students are home.

Demand is higher than ever, and donations are down. NewsChannel 3 saw the need, grabbed a shopping cart, and took action.

“Seven dollars a bag is about the cost,” said Eileen Cox with Virginia Beach Public Schools. “If you’re a couponer, it’s even less or if you find a good sale but it’s true a week’s worth of Starbucks could feed a three or four children each month.”

225 bags come out of the school district’s warehouse every week. The need is so great, before NewsChannel 3 dropped off our donations, they only had 20 in reserves.

“Even if we have enough to get through next Friday, we have six more Fridays, eight more Fridays,” said Cox.

NewsChannel 3 recognized the problem was bigger than making sure children had food next week, so we presented the school district with a donation of $500.

“We appreciate it,” Cox said. “The kids, the families that will receive these meals we really appreciate it, everything that you all do. We appreciate you personally took action to make a difference.”